Organic Gardening for Beginners

Organic gardening might seem intimidating..especially to a beginner who hasn’t had much experience growing at all! I bet you wouldn’t have guessed that organic gardening is just as difficult as growing a non-organic garden! Great! Not only is it not nearly as hard as you thought it’d be, but organically and locally grown (locally grown as in your backyard!) vegetables are said to help save the bees! Here’s how you can get started with these great organic gardening tips.

First Things First! It’s time to sow your seeds! About three weeks before you plan to begin sowing your seeds, it’s time to work the bed of your garden. Clear out any debris, old plant trimmings, and any other unsightly items. Be on the lookout for any weeds that pop up! They love to appear right after you’ve worked the soil.

After the three weeks are up, it’s time to plant your seeds! Plant seeds that are specifically labeled as “organic.” Many gardeners like to “plan out” their vegetables using grid lines or rows, and you can too! However, I like to “garden without a plan” and I kind of just plant as I plant!

Pro Tip: Water the soil before you plant the seeds, instead of after. This is to ensure that your seeds aren’t washed away, and they bloom right where you’ve planted them.

When it comes time to actually sow the seeds, pay close attention to the planting recommendations found on the backs of your seed packets. Take note of the amount of sun needed, what the vegetable grows well around, and more. Even if you decide to “garden without a plan” like me, it’s best to read up on the backs of the packets before you “dig” in!

A good rule of thumb is to only bury the seeds as deep as they are in diameter. Be sure to keep the garden bed moist until all of the seedlings have sprouted, and then water them according to the grow instructions on the seed packets.

If you don’t want to deal with weeds (and who really does?) be sure to cover your soil with a few inches of mulch (straw clippings, shredded leaves, etc.) this will keep the weeds from sprouting up!